Botsford HealthSource Magazine

Questions? Botsford Doctors Have the Answers

Question: How closely do I need to watch my child now that she has had swimming lessons?

Answer: Drowning is a serious risk for all children. It is a leading cause of accidental death in Michigan. For children younger than age 1, most drowning accidents occur in the bathtub. For children ages 1 to 5 years, accidents often occur in residential swimming pools. With school-age children and adolescents, lakes and other large bodies of water pose the biggest threat.

There are multiple ways to prevent drowning. Toddlers should always be carefully supervised while in the bathtub. Swimming pools should be surrounded by a four-sided fence with a self-closing, self-latching gate. Supervision by a responsible adult is important whenever children of any age are around water. When kids are boating, swimming or rafting at the beach, insist they wear life jackets—even if they know how to swim.

Swimming instruction with a focus on water safety and swimming skills is important. However, children who know how to swim should always be supervised when swimming and should wear personal flotation devices while around water.

It’s also wise to take a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) class so that you will know how to respond if a drowning accident occurs. CPR can save lives; training is available through the Life Support Training Institute.

Protect Young Swimmers
Want to learn how to give CPR and first aid? Take a class at the Life Support Training Institute.
Call (248) 304-6055 for details.